Shrugging Off Expectations
by infadinityfollower
Summary: Both want nothing more then to just be themselves yet first they have to shrug off the expectations entrusted onto them.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

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laughter and 'exotic' creatures dominated the large and manicured courtyard of Tristain Academy of Magic. A prestigious institution which could boast having one of the best successful rates versus all other magical academies for all of noble kind. All type of exotic and normal animals were being cared for under their new summoners, content to serve and live under their new masters.

From cats and dogs to birds of prey and venomous and non-poisonous snakes to more exotic creatures like floating eye ball 'things' and giant moles, they was even a flame salamander which was the closest thing all of the students, who had already attempted the summoning spell, had gotten to anything remotely resembling exotic or legendary but then again what more could you expect? Even their headmaster's familiar was nothing more than a simple perverted white mouse.

"Is that everyone!?"

The voice stated over the excited chattering forms of his many beloved students, Jean Colbert couldn't be more proud of them because the summoning of their familiars was their very first step into the more dangerous magical world. For most it was not just a sign of prestige and honor but also of magic prowess and magic talent, to summon something if not anything was usually taken as a sign that no matter what kind of magical upbringing you had you were at least worth something to have summoned something from across time and space.

"No that is not everyone Professor Colbert! Louise has not gone yet!"

Heads turned and eyes followed to land a beautiful red haired women with amber colored eyes, Kirche Zerbst was many things among the students of Tristain Academy but forgetful was not among them. For as long as anyone would care to remember the Zerbst and the Vallière had been at each other's throats in a heated rivalry for decades or rather more importantly Kirche Zerbst and Louise Vallière had been at each other's throats for as long as the two girls had attended Tristain Academy and Kirche would never pass up a chance to slight her family rival.

And in this very moment Louise wish she could take back all of her insults and slights and redo them in a more vicious exploding manner. Of course she had no such power or desire to relive through that struggle again. Instead Louise merely raised her head up high and puffed out her under-developed chest, ready to once again try her hardest and hopefully come out successful.

"Oh Tabitha hasn't tried yet either!"

The voice was lost in the crowd and so no one could pinpoint who had brought up this very important information but where the voice was loss the girl in question was not. Standing off slightly off, far from where the rest of the current student body was without anything resembling a summon by her side -How Had they miss this?- was Tabitha the brightest of their generation had yet to have even gone. Instead she had been over look as she remained quiet. Content to sit and read one of her many tomes stacked on top of her lawn table.

In the past many had tried to befriend the quiet girl, even Kirche herself had once tried to befriend the seemly socially awkward girl but Kirche along with the rest who had tried made no to little progress in this endeavor. As such many had started to over look the girl because of this despite the girl's magical prowess.

Raising her head from her book, the girl known as Tabitha strode forward past the gathered crowd and stood to a stop next to the pink haired Louise, showing that despite her head being almost always stuck in a book she was always paying attention. Paying attention in class, paying attention to the rumors and offers of friendship, paying attention to the expectations forced upon her.

Jean look upon the form of his last two students that had yet to summon or try to summon their familiars, both young both bright yet they were just both so different from each other. Where one was a noble from a successful magical family the other was mysterious with only the name 'Tabitha' to refer to her by. Where one was strong and silent the other was loud and weak.

Where one was the very pinnacle of magic potential the other was nothing but a zero. So it made sense to Jean when they started the process of summoning their chosen familiar that their incantations were completely different.

"Pentagon of the five elemental powers, heed my summoning!"

"Magic white magic black, magic close magic far, heed my summoning."

All of the gathered students and one professor could feel the large amount of magic being used by these two girls incantations, it easily surpassed anything brought forth before, even Kirche's incantation gathered nowhere near the amount that Tabitha's or Louise's did. The amount of magic being used even attracted other students and professors who were passing by.

"Bring forth my slave, bring forth someone strong, bring forth someone breathtaking, bring forth someone divine!"

"Bring forth my loyal companion, bring forth something compassionate, bring forth something understanding, bring forth something _all utterly for me_.

By now the magic being used was simple overwhelming for the vast majority gathered and Jean had brought forth a dome of magical properties around the two girls, shielding the students and himself from the ice blue and harsh pink magic produced by the two students inside of it.

"Should we try stopping them?"

Jean turned to answer, a very much 'yes' on the tip of his tongue but before he could answer his wondering student both Tabitha and Louise finish their incantations and brought forth both of their rather unique familiars into their world.

"Come forth my familiar!"

"Welcome forth my familiar."

Two clouds of ice blue and harsh pink magic ruptured forth shattering Jean's magical dome yet instead of expanding outward the magical clouds condensed around their nobles respectively and odder yet they never mixed, those watching noting that it was almost like the two magical clouds were repulsed by one and another.

Louise's magical cloud was the first to clear and once it did laughter echo out all around the academy's courtyard as those watching laid witness to the sight before them, slightly tall and grab in the wierdest clothes they had ever seen was a boy more then likey around their own age looking so out of place it was not even funny.

"Looks like you failed again Louise the Zero!"

"Louise the Zero!"

"Louise the Zero!"

It hurt Louise to see all her effort wasted for this peon but like all her other failures she had learned how to cope with this and once again fell into her 'mask of zero' it was where she hid all of her thoughts and feelings for any and all of her failures.

Still the least Louise could do was look at what ever mythical beast Tabitha had managed to summon and see just how far she was truly out classed.

But when Talitha's magic cloud finally thinned enough for all to see just what the brilliant girl had summon they was only silence as those gathered took in just what they were looking at.

Tall no radiant would be used to describe the person before them smiling wide for all to see. The tall radiant man seem to clothed in some kind of orange on black silk long-sleeved shirt and rough black on orange thick pants. Also despite his large smile shining for all to see it truly was meant for only one and that one was a speechless blue haired petite girl.

Tabitha was gobsmacked as she stared upon the form of this radiant man and despite whatever she tried she couldn't take her eyes off him and his large smile. Unlike Louise she understood just how much the summer familiar ritual stood for and how you only got one chance at it no matter who you were or what kind of magical talent you had.

"Who are you?"

Tabitha's voice was small and silent and those watching turned their eyes over to the debacle that was Louise's familiar and so most missed the way the golden haired man look over Tabitha's small form with only gratitude and happiness, it was almost like the golden haired man could only see Tabitha as someone to be thankful for.

When the man opened his mouth to answer only gibberish came out but if you could understand the man's language then more then likely you would have heard this.

" _Hello my name is Naruto Uzumaki! What's yours?_ "

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Rules, limits, expectations those three words define what Naruto Uzumaki was and how he had lead his life well at least up till now. Rules of his younger days, rules of the ninja academy and rules of the shinobi system. Limits was what made him, the limits of his strength and mind and the limits placed upon him by others. Finally there were expectations of his love ones and enemies, the expectation to live up to the titles trusted to him. To live up to being The number One Hyperactive Knuckleheaded Ninja and the Yellow Sun of Konoha, to live up to being the Child of Prophecy and The Savior of This World.

And for the longest time Naruto was fine to live with these rules, limits, and expectations but it was only at the peak of his power where he was bleeding out with only a stump of a right arm and laying besides his 'best friend' and 'greatest enemy' where something occurred to him. Where Sasuke had fallen unconscious shortly after they had crashed Naruto had remained awake through the entire night with only the Infinite Tsukuyomi forsaken moon to keep him company after Kururma had exhausted itself into unconsciousness and it was in the dead of that night where the boy known as Naruto Uzumaki reach enlightenment or rather just a deep sense of personal clarity.

Naruto Uzumaki was sick and goddamn tired of living with these three things which had bound him down for so long!

And so Naruto decided to stop caring about the rules and the limits and the expectations. Naruto decided to cast off his ninja way, to run of it suited him and to stop letting his promises keep him up or bring him down. Naruto decided to stop letting the rules engraved into by his loved ones and enemies make him who he was and stop letting the rules of the shinobi system decide who he was. Naruto turned away from his expectations and titles, he turned away from the dreams he once had and he feelings he once thought he could call his own. He turned away from his 'loved ones' and 'precious people'. He didn't try to pursue his 'feelings' of Sakura Haruno or his so called 'perfect relationship' with Hinata Hyuga.

He didn't try as hard as to become the 'greatest' Hokage ever nor did he care as much as he should about what might happen to his 'best friend' Sasuke Uchiha.

But after Naruto casted off all of these things which had define him for so long Naruto began to wondered just what was left of him? Was he Naruto the common orphan or was he Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze the son of Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze and the Godson of Jiraiya the great toad sage.

The answer however was simply neither and under the great Infinite Tsukuyomi the boy discovered just who he was...

Naruto Uzumaki!

And just like that two years flew by and Naruto started to just be himself or at least he tried. Whenever Naruto tried just giving his true radiant smile instead of his blinding white smile he was asked if he was feeling ok. When he tried telling his friends that he just wasn't ready to be in any sort of relationship, a romantic relationship being the least of his concerns, he was asked if Hinata had not proven herself enough to gain his attention?

When he asked if he could take a breather and stop with all of the non-stop missions and training to be Hokage for a little bit, his precious people laughed and said to stop pulling their legs. It took longer then Naruto cared to admit to himself that his precious people and friends saw only his mask and not him. They saw Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze the savior of the world not just plain old Naruto Uzumaki.

"Look there he is! The Great Hero of The Leaf himself Naruto Uzumaki!"

"Oh my Gosh it's really is him!"

Naruto held back a sigh as he put on a small grin and greeted the many citizens of Konoha once again over and over. Everytime he left the walls of his apartment or walls of Konoha it was always the same thing, Praise after praise and all the recognition Naruto could ask for was heaped upon him and by now Naruto had kinda gotten used to all of it and so he was able to respond with his bright grin and a small wave to all of his admirers.

Naruto ignored the citizens of Konoha as he continued onwards to Ichiraku's Ramen where all of the remaining Konoha twelve were planning on celebrating with each other before Sasuke left the village once again but this time a non-wanted man.

Naruto looked over the many buildings of Konoha in recognition as he remember fondly just how many years had truly passed and just all he had accomplished in his short time alive. However after a short while it was not the buildings in which caught his attention but a tall blue oval-shaped thing standing in the midden of his path.

"Huh what's that?"

Moving forward to stand just before the blue oval-shaped thing, Naruto noticed that despite the thing just standing in the middle of one of Konoha's busiest streets it was going largely unnoticed and for that matter so was he.

"Well aren't you just a helpful blue little thing."

For too long had Naruto wanted to just disappear from the eyes of the world, to go back to just being Naruto Uzumaki and it seems for a time he could have just that and it was all thanks to this oval thing. Despite the praise Naruto was giving it the tall blue oval gave no noticed that it understood Naruto and instead just seem to start to giveing off a large feeling of attraction, like Naruto had nothing better to do or be besides here and just reach out and touch the oval with his only good hand.

With a grin Naruto did just that and watched how the oval thing greedily tried to suck him in with surprisingly large amount of force.

"Oi! I thought we were good! What's up with the sucking vortex thing?"

Still despite the large amount of force trying to drag him in Naruto's grin only got wider and with the tiniest amount of his unique chakra he easily tore his 'good' arm out of the now fluctuating blue oval-shaped 'vortex'.

"Ok that's not good."

For whatever he did it seem to cause the 'vortex' to collapse on itself as it was rapidly shrinking right before his eyes. Ok it obviously wants to take Naruto somewhere but where? Somewhere far away for here? So Naruto had two choices to stay here in his world with his precious people or to see just where this 'vortex' wanted to take him…

Naruto made his choice faster then he would like to admit as he once again allowed the vortex to take him fully this time and before he realized Naruto was fully submerge inside of the blue oval and falling fast. It was only seconds before Naruto noticed that the light from the blue 'portal' was long gone and he was only falling farther.

Also he felt something very off taking place within him or rather with the 'connection' Naruto had with the toads. This 'connection' has always been somewhat faint touch on his chakra and right now Naruto's 'connection' to the toads was being overtaken for a lack of a better word and where the toads 'connection' was faint this new connection seemed to overshadow much of his chakra and that in itself was a brow-raising accomplishment.

Also Naruto felt like where he was once the summoner now he was the summon…

Was he being summon?

It kinda made sense but Naruto knew for a fact that the toads did not see blue oval-shape portals whenever he summoned them. Maybe this was a different kind of summoning, maybe he was being summoned to fight in a battle royal of epic proportions all for a wish-granting cup?

What? Naruto could dream couldn't he?

Still whatever was taken place was obviously incomplete for despite this new connection covering almost all of his chakra the feeling of it was fainter than the toads by far that and if Naruto was almost anybody else he was sure that this faint connection would be over looked. Also Naruto's falling journey was almost over as he was rapidly approaching another blue oval portal.

"Finally let's see just what this new place has to offer me!"

When Naruto emerged for this portal he was immediately displaced into a large cloud of ice blue 'something' and roughly at that as the portal seemly shot him out at the same speed he was falling.

'And I really thought I had something special going on with that portal.'

Well apparently not as the portal shot him downward faster than a speeding kunai but still this was easily dealt as once again a small amount of his chakra was channeled throughout his body allowing him to easily land, lightly at that in the blue cloud of whatever it was because it certainly not just a normal discolored cloud.

Naruto's eyes Immediately shot around him, taking in the weirdly dressed people and creatures among them that and of course the mocking laughter echoing out around him. It was laughter right? Because Naruto certainly did not understand what kind of language they were speaking.

Of course this was all put on the back burner for Naruto once his eyes landed on the petite blue haired girl standing much closer then all of the other weirdly dressed people and was actually still coming closer to stand right before him. It was slightly amusing for Naruto to see the blue haired girl only came up to his chest then again he couldn't really fault her for that anybody standing at 6'4 would tower over most people.

"Hello my name is Naruto Uzumaki! What's yours?"

Naruto watched as the girl just stared at him before turning to ask or say something to a balding man and after that turned right back to him with the lightest of blushes dusting her cheeks. Naruto watched as the blue haired girl seemly motioned for him to lean down and only raised a brow before doing so wondering just what this girl had in mind.

Lips were soon place upon his own as he felt the girl push forth some kind of energy from her own lips and into his and after that he felt the connection in him grow thicker as well as this connection extend forth and latch onto the blue haired girl before him.

The kiss only lasted the barest of moments but still it was better than the _indecent_ in his final year at the ninja academy _._ Of course who knows just what he allow the girl to do to him because it feels like he just become some kind of summon. Yet before Naruto could even open his mouth to try to question the girl on just why she had kissed him a burning pain erupted on his forehead.

Of course the pain was barely anything besides annoyance but still it was effort to cause Naruto to wince. Raising a hand to his forehead to feel some type of runic symbols fading from it.

"You know maybe that wasn't such a good ideal."

"Why is that?"

Blinking Naruto turned to look at the blue haired girl once more in his line of sight.

"You can understand me now?"

The blue haired girl nodded briefly before answering in a short monotone voice.

"Yes I can my familiar."

Again Naruto felt confusion along with his curiosity spike at the girl's answer.

"What's a familiar?"

The blue haired said nothing and only nodded confirming whatever thought was running through her pretty little blue haired head. Naruto watched as the girl once again motioned for him to do something but this time it was only to follow her and finding no reason not to Naruto did so.

Turning his head back and forth Naruto took in the people 'humans?' of this world. They didn't look much different from the humans of his own world and from the looks of it both the humans of this world and his own share many of the same features.

They were even fire-red haired females here and some type of energy flowing through them all! Well at least most of them had this new energy all expect that black haired youth wearing the blue hoodie.

Naruto watched as a pink haired student dragged the blacked haired boy away. Was that the boy's summoner or was the boy something else? A servant maybe? Shaking his thoughts free from the odd duo and instead focused all of his attention on the girl leading him to a small table with a couple different books on it.

He watched as the girl pick up one and quickly handed it to him, taken the book from the girl's waiting hand Naruto cast one last look at the book's unreadable cover before looking back at the girl's strangely satisfied expression it was almost like she thought this book would solve all of his problems which was so not likely.

"My name is Tabitha-" The girl who Naruto could now identify as Tabitha look around at the retreating backs of many of the students here oh and that one professor before continuing- "But in private you may refer to me as Charlotte."

Letting a grin once again slip over his features at the doubly named girl -mysterious- Naruto offered her a radiant true smile before speaking.

"Well nice to meet you Charlotte. My name is Naruto Uzumaki and I have something important to tell you."

Raising a blue colored brow Charlotte just stare in question wondering just what her familiar, Naruto he said his name was, wanted?

"I can't read this!"

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 **Do you guys even remember Familiar of Zero? The show was pretty good if not a little too much show service but it had a pretty good story involved.**

 **Ok then don't expect this story to follow Louise's & Saito's plot lines at all also as you guys might notice Tabitha is not friends with Kirche in this story for various reasons one being I just can't see them being friends. Like Tabitha had a lot of shit on her plate and I can't really see her becoming friends with the outgoing Kirche with their differences in both magical talent and age.**

 **For Naruto expect him to be a lot more laid back and surreal in this story. In SOE or Shrugging Off Expectations Naruto will be at the height of his power so yes that means spanning enough clones to upper cut someone into the atmosphere! Or summoning the Truth Seeking Orbs.**

 **In SOE Naruto had kinda forsake his home world and his 'precious people' because of all the expectations intrusted to him and his 'mask' but also don't expect his home world to take this lying down either.**

 **Also on the issue of Irukukwu or Sylphid her role is being completely taken over by Naruto and yes expect Tabitha to 'ride' Naruto…**

 **lol.**


	2. Learning and Missions

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

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Tristain Academy of Magic was a large and well furnished institution, from private rooms to any accommodations the many nobles attending could want yet it was not just magic accommodations either. From cooking classes for those desiring to dirty their hands by during commoner work for one reason or another to large baths to rest and relax their hard working body and minds. Truly Nobles could find almost anything and everything in this wonderful place.

Sadly for Tristain Academy of Magic Charlotte was once such noble that did find something lacking within the academy's buildings and that one thing was the academy's library. Of course they was no denying that the academy's library was not stacked with any kind of information Charlotte could ever want mundane or magical.

They was just the simple fact that the library was too damn far from where her dorm was to make it worth running back and forth from it. Charlotte had spent too long getting a permit from the headmaster to make her own small library using the large collection found in the academy's own but now Charlotte was glad she did or else she may have never have gotten to see this truly strange magic before her now.

Charlotte's dorm room was bigger than most other second year students and she had use most of this extra space as a place to start her small library as such she had about three large bookcases place along one end of her room.

Besides her bookcases Charlotte had her large sized bed. A couple of dressers, and one wooden room table. Charlotte had never had company inside of her room before so she had made sure that on her way back to her dorm with her new human familiar that they had grabbed another chair for her wooden table.

Across from her sat her new familiar Naruto Uzumaki who was reading or attempting to read the book she had given him earlier that day and around her and her familiar were many identical clones of the same golden haired man sitting across from her…

Charlotte had heard of coping magic before but never had she heard of magic of this scale being used before. They sat around or stood around her room by the dozen and even more were pouring out or into her room after every minute or so and all of the clones had a book in their hands all provided by her small collection.

Books about her world's history, books about magic, books about geography and literature, and books about the languages of her world were just some of the few Charlotte could spot and after a random amount of time passed some of the clones would just go up in smoke but after they did the remaining clones would seem to have a better grasp on just what they were all doing.

"Just what kind of magic is this?"

Her question was undirected but there were really only two people in her room to answer her and Naruto had no problems at least trying to.

"Magic? Oh you mean my clones! Well I guess you could call it that."

Turning to look at the man sitting across from her Charlotte narrowed her eyes at something her familiar had said.

"And what would _you_ call it?"

Naruto just gave her a smile at catching his little intention information drop before answering.

"I would call it chakra."

'Chakra' Charlotte let the word roll around in her head before stopping for now. Later when she was not so exhausted she would try to do some research by herself before returning to her familiar again for more answers.

Charlotte let a yawn escape her mouth before shooting Naruto another narrowed look. He did not answer her question.

"And what kind of magic is this?"

Naruto once again took his eyes of Charlotte's book before shooting Charlotte a rueful grin.

"It's just magic Charlotte."

Shaking her head Charlotte asked once again. Maybe Naruto's language was too different from hers to fully understand her words so earlier into their familiar bond or maybe she had underestimated his cloning magic.

"No. Just what _kind_ of magic is this." This time Charlotte made sure to put extra meaning into the word 'kind'. "Like is it cloning magic or maybe just illusionary magic with mental memory capabilities."

Naruto for his part did not answer like she thought he would instead the answer he gave through her for a small loop.

"I understand what you meant Charlotte and to answer your question," Here Naruto grew quiet for a couple of seconds before continuing. "It's _our_ magic Charlotte, it's cloning magic with mental capabilities."

'Our magic?' Just what does he mean by that? Just how was it theirs? Just how did they share it?

'Oh the bond…' The familiar bond made sure the that the familiar would be molded to best suit their masters but something about Naruto's words felt off like he meant something else.

It was like Naruto wanted his magic to be hers and her magic to be his. Also from what she see seen so far Charlotte did not think the magic of the familiar bond could mold this man in anyway that was not of his choosing.

Releasing another yawn Charlotte decided this could all wait until tomorrow where she would be hopefully fully rested. Raising and letting go of her large staff Charlotte let it float away to hover near her bed and after that she gave a measuring look around her room and at the many clones occupying it before turning to her familiar.

"Can they all leave?"

As soon as she said those words did the dozens upon dozens of clones suddenly start moving to leave her room to join their brethren outside of her room or decided to start going up into smoke. When it was all said and done it was just Charlotte and Naruto left in her room and Charlotte was fine with that.

Moving to one of her few dressers Charlotte started to undress and find something more comfortable to wear to bed tonight unaware of the shock gaze directed upon her form by her familiar.

"What are you doing!?"

Turning to her shouting familiar Charlotte only raised a brow in silent questioning.

"Why are you undressing?"

A frown starting to make it's way over her lips at Naruto's line of questioning. Once again had Charlotte underestimated the supposed brilliance of her familiar?

"Have you not finished the book I gave you?"

Charlotte watched as her familiar give just give her a flat stare before reining in the faint red dusting his cheeks as he spoke once again.

"I have finished it Charlotte three times at that but still-"

Before Naruto could finish Charlotte cut him with her short monotone voice.

"No buts Naruto. You are my familiar and as such I will not be afraid to show you my body."

She expressed her belief by setting her hands on her hips showing off her pale soft skin and blue and white striped silk underwear. Naruto could only stare in surprise at the barely clothed girl and without warning suddenly bursted out into laughter causing the blue haired girl before him to shift and shuffle in a bout of sudden nervousness.

Charlotte didn't know why but somewhere deep inside of her Charlotte hoped that her familiar liked what he saw.

"It seems that I slightly underestimated you Charlotte and for that I am sorry."

After saying that Naruto then took the chance to fully look at the girl who had summoned him, who had allowed Naruto to just take a large step back from his old world for something else. She was small and petite thing with light blue hair that fell slightly atop her shoulders. The girl's body was underdeveloped but where the girl had no chest or hips to boast about she had a fit and toned body which showed off the small amount of curves she did had.

"From what I have been able to gather from this book and the many others you have provided for me you nobles are of the arrogant sort. To most nobles familiars are just a means to an end. They are cheap labor and viewed as a weak symbol of talent and for most they are nothing more than just that."

Offering his master a small true radiant smile Naruto continued on but this time with a small note of appreciation coloring his voice.

"But you Charlotte are obviously different and you obviously want something different too and I want the same."

Standing up Naruto moved over to embrace the stiffen petite girl before finishing in a quieter tone.

"Let us cast off the rules placed upon us for the appreciation of only each other, let us toss away our limits for the strength of only each other, let us shrugged off the expectations trusted onto us for only the wants and needs of each other."

Charlotte did not give any type of response to Naruto's request and only disentangle herself from Naruto's warm embrace to move over to her bed and crawl under the silk covers leaving Naruto standing there cold.

Still Naruto needed a response and Charlotte wanted to give one but-

"I can't."

-she couldn't just leave it all behind like that, she couldn't leave her mother like that, she couldn't leave her kingdom like that.

"I see."

Naruto's voice was deathly quiet at her rejection but still he wasn't done yet.

"Don't think I won't end up seducing you then Charlotte. I will end up taking you away from all of your expectations."

Charlotte response did not come right away and it was only five minutes later where Naruto had gone back to learning all that he could about their now shared world that her response did come.

"I welcome and and all attempts my selfish familiar."

Naruto said nothing back and merely allowed his master to get some well deserved rest.

However hours later into the dead of night Naruto gave Charlotte one last response.

"Sorry Charlotte you don't know just how _truly_ selfish I really am."

* * *

With two gorgeous moons usually shining bright every night combined with the warm air of the Tristain continent many could attest to loving the late nights of the country. Clone number 64 the last and the best made by their great and infinitely more badass boss could also attest to that.

But he was not created to enjoy this wonderful night nor was he created to start learning about their new world which they had decided to run away too?

'Yeah 'run away too' let's go with that.'

No no no Clone Number 64 purpose was entirely different from the rest of his 63 brethren. He was not made to learn about this new world nor its wonders no the reason why he was created with more chakra then Shukaku and ability to take more than just a solid hit was all purpose of learning about his target and his target's world…

… and that one target was one Hiraga Saito.

Even now he was watching his target interact with a blond haired male student and brown haired female student, being only a chakra leap away from his target's neck. 64 watched how the target moved. How the target breathed. How the target talked.

Soon enough he would be able to stand directly right behind his target, his target's mannerisms his own and soon enough 64 could become his target if the need ever arose. Yet even more 64 could learn all about his target's home world. What it was like? Was it war-torn like his own? Or maybe it was quiet and peaceful?

64 highly doubt that but still it's another option.

'Another option that's all another world was. That's all that the boss cares about.'

And as such that's all that 64 cared about. But what of their new master? What of the one who gave them the chance for this new world? What of her problems? Did they even matter?

 _OF COURSE THEY DO!_

Shaking his head at the strong unfamiliar impulse coming from his new familiar bond 64 easily discarded the urge to do anything and everything for Charlotte Hélène d'Orléans that was in his power. Let it not even be mentioned just how vast his power was even if he was never more than a shadow clone of original.

Still even if he was a clone of his creator 64 knew despite not knowing just what he wanted Naruto Uzumaki did not want to walk along new road with just himself and he was dead start on taking or dragging Charlotte along with him.

And if that meant seducing Charlotte, changing Charlotte, and taking Charlotte away from everything she knows and loves then…so be it. Naruto was willing to do it.

Clone Number 64 let a soundless chuckle escape his month at the thought of his boss and romance before focusing entirely on his target.

Who knows how long he would have to watch this other familiar.

* * *

(Days later)

Muscles stacked upon muscles and a horrid stench were the usually tellings of some great horrible creature near your village that would force the village to gather the large necessary amount of currency it would take to hire an adventurer to come and get rid of it.

Sadly the creature or rather creatures in this case were not just savage brawn and smells. No these creatures were monsters of a herd. They traveled together and killed together. They lived and died together. They raped and pillaged together.

They were minotaurs, the perfect mix between man and bull. Minotaurs were not creatures of savagery and blood like they portrayed themselves to be and long ago minotaurs resembled more of peace loving race. At least until they were seduced by the trill of bloodspill and rape.

Minotaurs intelligence was not to be ever underestimated. Many adventurers had fallen prey to the assumption that minotaurs were a dumb idiotic race that traveled in a herd for the mentality that it brought.

Charlotte would not fall prey to this small trick and she would not fall prey to the strength of this large minotaur herd but the reality of her situation was simply that she did not expect to come out of this mission alive but she would be damned before she failed to take every lasted damn minotaur with her.

For too long had she be forced to take missions from her uncle and his sad attempts to end her life and for too long had Charlotte expected her life to end on each and every mission she had undertaking.

But this was supposed to be too much for her and her uncle knew that this was supposed to be the end of her and her life. This minotaur herd had a large and horrible reputation even among the other minotaur herds. Aged and seasoned this herd had survived and killed more than any other herd recorded in the adventure's grimoire.

Still even these ghastly creatures were no match for the monster known as Naruto Uzumaki.

When both Charlotte and Naruto had descended into the bowels of a intricate cave system looking for the base of the minotaurs the creatures had been watching and waiting for a chance to strike against these human fools who thought to end their mighty herd.

They had laughed and insulted the human pair but when they had finally decided to kill the pair they were meant with a confusing statement by one of the two, the golden haired one.

"So the fun and games are over huh?"

The minotaurs did not know what this human meant by those words but it didn't really in the end because that's when the slaughter started. The one-sided battle could be never else as the golden haired one proceeded to obliterate each and every one of them. There was no fast paced battle or flashy magic. Instead the male just started walking towards their 20 strong minotaur herd and raised his hand against one of their strongest and biggest brethren and brought it down.

They was no flash of light or scream of pain from either their brethren or the golden haired male but rather where once their two monsters standing there now however there was only one. One golden haired man and 19 blood-coated minotaurs and of course one small blue haired girl.

It honestly took a couple of seconds for the minotaurs to realise that the fresh blood coated them was from one of their own and a couple more seconds for them to become enraged and attack the golden haired man. Naruto was willing to give them this small amount of time after all they all did not have much left over all. When Naruto had heard of just what his master was being forced into undertaking he had only let a small frown slip onto his features. After all everybody had their reasons right? Everybody deserves a second chance right?

Even if their reasons were going to get themselves a mighty ass kicking and their second chance at living the good life would be painfully short still they deserved a second chance right?

Maybe.. or maybe not.

So here they were balls deep in a damp cave looking to end the lives of some bloodlusting creatures who had squandered their potential away for battle and rape. Naruto had no pity for them. Minotaurs were giving plenty of chances to change for the better and had forsaken each and everyone of them. But even that not be enough for Naruto not to give them one more possibility. To give them one more chance to change. For to at least say that he had tried.

This all changed however when a petite blue haired girl had basically beg him to stay behind.

Barely a day later after he had met Charlotte she had come up to him and told him to stay behind and wait for her to return from her mission and the thing was Naruto had almost done this. Naruto had almost ignored the clear signs of distress and fear thinly veiled behind the usually mask she wore.

Naruto had almost stayed behind content to wait for Tabitha's uncertain return and continue to enroot himself into _his_ new world.

This is what power did to him or rather this is what true power did to him. It provided a kind of clarity that which he could almost never ignored no matter how hard he tried. And with that clarity come a burning sense of curiosity which all but ruled him now. A curiosity which begged for him to try and understand the truly greater things in this reality. To not chose the easy road nor the perfect and simple road filled with love and a happy family.

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely and Naruto was finding it hard to doubt those words.

But the thing was Naruto didn't care about absolute power and so he found doubt within those words where none was to be found. Naruto decided to choose not the easy path nor the harder one but the one which he wanted to walk.

The path where that petite blue haired girl didn't die and he was not expected to lead the perfect life saving the world. All Naruto wanted was something simple and right now that simple something was to be beside that blue haired girl..

And when Charlotte had told him to stay behind Naruto followed right beside her when she embarked on her suicide mission and listen as she told him the bare minimum about what her uncle, the king of her country forced her to do.

Now here he was ending the lives of these strange creatures.

The minotaurs surrounded him and began trying to end his life with violent overhead swings. The massive creatures tried to use their numbers and large size to their advantage.

Simple but crude tactics that had yet to fail their herd.

Unfortunately For the minotaur herd their tried tactics failed poorly as Naruto dodge ever brutish attempt on his life. There was no elaborate acrobatic feats nor was there any confusing jutsus to impair the minotaurs. Instead Naruto used pure chakra enhanced body movements to simple _walk_ out of harm's way.

To Charlotte who was watching and the minotaurs trying to end his life Naruto was disappearing one moment only to appear always nearby standing in the spot of where a minotaur once stood. To Naruto however he was just merely walking pass their sloppy violent swings and ending their lives with just a simple chakra enhanced tap.

It honestly took the minotaurs a couple of dreadful minutes to realize that everytime that Naruto appeared one of their own exploded outward in a shower of bloody gore but in those few minutes the twenty strong herd was now just three scared shitless minotaurs covered in the blood of their own.

Charlotte watched as her familiar ended the lives of over 17 strong B-ranked beast and didn't even break a sweat. Just what had she summoned? Still the fight was over in a matter of minutes and the remaining minotaurs were rushing towards her and the exit behind her. Fear had broken their minds into shells of what they once were and the only thing remaining was this loose sense of fight or flight.

And that sense was screaming at them to grow fucking wings and use flight to get the hell away from that blond haired monster behind them.

Maybe if the 3 minotaurs were of a sounder mind they may have noticed that the blond fiend behind them was not given chase but rather letting them ran towards Charlotte. But they didn't and so all they noticed was a small blue haired human blocking their way to survival and not the true threat that she actually represented.

Naruto had barely know Charlotte a full 5 days and yet he already recognize that under her cold calm facade was a girl that had grown up and lived with the pleasure of combat but not just any combat either but combat surrounding life and death.

How scary. Was it the power of the familial bond that granted Naruto this insight into her mind or was it just his natural perception skills?

"As quiet as possible, as sharp as possible, as deadly as possible. Rend my enemies _Vicious Wind._ "

The chant was short and perfect. Tested and trusted to end her enemies no matter their natural magical resistance. And despite the short verse for the spell the power behind it was staggering giving hint to the true magical talent residing within Charlotte.

The Minotaurs oblivious to anything but their survival paid no heed to the dozens of bleeding scratches that suddenly appeared over their blood-soaked bodies with a strong gush of wind, testing their magical hides strength only to find it lacking and so when the second gush of wind rushed over their bleeding forms they fall to pieces literally.

Legs were taken first, robbing the beasts of their chances at escape. Next were the arms and horns in a nasty way to pay them back for all the lives they had stolen and finally Charlotte ended their lives by shredding the rest of them into little bloody chucks.

Letting out a content sigh of both disgust and satisfaction Charlotte turned towards her familiar and wondered if he still wanted to beside her? She who was so cold and blood-thirsty. She who was so flawed and lost. She who couldn't just leave her kingdom and mother like they had left her behind.

And yet Naruto looked at her just like he had always done. They was no disgust or pity but still the same gratitude and happiness lining his eyes.

Why?

"Ready to go?"

Nodding Charlotte collected herself and followed beside her familiar as they started to trek back to New Niya to report her unlikely success to the Adventure Guild. Timidly Charlotte eyes shot downwards to the hand close to her belonging to the amazing person besides her.

'Would he mind? Would he care?'

New and confusing thoughts clouded her mind as she walked along her familiar wondering what she should do?

'He's mine right? I can do what I want with him?'

Charlotte stiffened as she felt something nice and warm inclose around her hand and noticed it was the hand belonging to the man besides her. She said nothing as a warm feeling suddenly boomed within her chest causing her to smile slightly.

Why? Why would a person so brilliant like _you_ ever stay with a frozen person like _me_?

* * *

Sorry for the delay for all those waiting.


End file.
